City Manager's Bonus Unwarranted

OPINION - LETTERS

September 6, 1992

AFTER RETURNING from a Florida League of Cities convention in Miami, it appears that Eustis Mayor Buck Dandridge and Commissioners Homer Royals and Buddy Buie decided at a City Commission meeting to give City Manager Mike Stearman a bonus of $2,500.

This bonus idea was not on the meeting's published agenda, so no citizen had an opportunity to voice an objection. Our city manager previously has been criticized in some of his evaluations for having poor communications between himself and the citizens of Eustis. I still do not see any improved communications between City Hall and the taxpayers.

Mr. Stearman was given a cost-of-living bonus earlier this year. He has his civic club dues paid by the city. Our city manager did not deserve a second bonus when many of our employees were not given the same consideration. How does the City Commission plan to explain this bonus to its rank-and-file employees?

What other surprises have the city manager, mayor and two commissioners cooked up in the shade of this convention for the citizens of Eustis?

Oh yes, I forgot: Eustis taxpayers paid for this mini-vacation. How much did this cost us?